2024 TOURISM AWARDS
We Want to Celebrate Your Success!
We are pleased to announce the highly esteemed 2024 Regional Tourism Awards, a platform dedicated to recognizing and celebrating outstanding individuals and businesses that have set the standard for excellence in the Southern Ontario tourism industry. The prestigious Southern Ontario Innovation Awards Gala serves as a beacon of recognition for those who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation.
Tourism operators and partners working in Ontario’s Southwest
Areas include: Windsor, Essex, Pelee-Island, Sarnia-Lambton, Chatham-Kent, Middlesex County, St.Thomas, Elgin County, London, Oxford County, Norfolk County and Haldimand County can apply for the Ontario’s Southwest Awards
For questions, please contact Alayna Simpson
Tourism operators and partners working in Hamilton Halton Brant include: Hamilton, Halton which includes: Oakville, Burlington, Halton Hills and Milton, County of Brant, Brantford, Six Nations of the Grand River Territory and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation
can apply for the RTO3 awards.
For questions, please contact Aiden Eng
Anyone applying for an award outside of these designated regions will not be considered.
Award applications are now closed. Thank you to everyone who nominated. Finalists will be revealed in February 2025.
2024 OSW INNOVATION AWARD CATEGORIES
2024 Innovator of the Year Award
The Innovator of the Year Award is presented to a business, program, event or immersive experience that leads with innovation, igniting a path of transformation within Ontario’s Southwest tourism landscape. This accolade celebrates the ingenious creators who have boldly introduced fresh ideas that elevate and enrich the industry to bring new ideas that improve or enhance the tourism experience or marketing activities in Ontario's Southwest.
View Last Years Winner: The Twisted Lemon Restaurant & Boutique Inn
2024 Luminary of the Year Award
The Luminary of the Year Award recognizes an extraordinary individual whose remarkable contributions have illuminated the tourism industry with an unmatched dedication, unwavering passion, and relentless commitment. This prestigious accolade is given to someone who embodies the very essence of this industry, radiating the spirit and brilliance that make this sector not just a profession but a vocation. This award is to recognize an individual regardless of length of time in the industry, at all levels of seniority.
View Last Years Winner: Shannon Prince of Buxton National Historic Site & Museum
2024 Sustainability Trailblazer of the Year Award
The Sustainability Trailblazer of the Year Award recognizes a business, experience, tourism organization or individual, leading with an innovative strategy to improve the tourism experience through a sustainable tourism lens, aligning with the United Nations World Tourism Organizations (UNWTO) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's). This award recognizes those who embrace and exemplify the importance of sustainable tourism initiatives.
View Last Years Winner: Cooper’s Hawk Vineyards Ltd.
2024 HHB Regional Tourism Award Recognition Program
2024 Innovative New Experience or Product Development Award
This award recognizes a tourism business or organization that has demonstrated innovation in developing a new or enhanced tourism product or visitor experience. The new offering should be tourism focused, open to the public and contribute to a better regional visitor experience.
PREVIOUS RECIPIENT: Hamilton Day - Hamilton Chamber of Commerce
2024 Partnership & Collaboration Award
This award recognizes a partnered initiative (including a tourism experience, product or marketing campaign) that successfully attracts and encourages visitors to experience the Hamilton Halton Brant region. Partnerships can include collaboration with private and/or public sector entities.
PREVIOUS RECIPIENT: Tourism Hamilton - Your Summer Playground
2024 Sustainable Tourism Award
Sustainability is a deciding factor for more and more visitors when choosing their travel experiences. This Award recognizes demonstrated innovation from tourism industry partners/organizations who are leading the way to advance sustainable tourism through their business structure, process, product offerings and/or community involvement. We have updated this award from ‘Responsible Tourism’ to ‘Sustainable Tourism’ to reflect the multi-faceted sustainability journey that looks different for every business and partner but remains an important consideration for all.
PREVIOUS RECIPIENT: Conservation Halton - Winterlit
